


Hel's Chambers Bright With Jewels

by khilari



Category: Norse Mythology
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-01
Updated: 2011-11-01
Packaged: 2017-10-25 14:33:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/271336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khilari/pseuds/khilari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thor's household go out for a meal in a place which brings back memories of Baldr and also of Loki.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hel's Chambers Bright With Jewels

The restaurant was called Hel. Given his cousin’s dual nature Thor wasn’t sure whether that was a good sign or not. Inside the door the signs read:

<\- Helheim----Nifleheim ->

‘So in one direction we get food and rest and in the other eternal torment?’ said Thor.

‘It’s the karaoke bar,’ said Roskva.

‘That sounds about right then,’ said Thialfi, laughing.

‘Come on,’ said Sif.

They followed her in the direction of Helheim. It was a nice enough restaurant but Thor was beginning to have doubts about the theme. Murals of dead warriors did not make a cheerful accompaniment to a meal, especially when he’d known most of them once.

‘This is making me feel old,’ he said.

‘I know what you mean,’ said Sif.

‘I don’t,’ said Thialfi. ‘We don’t get old. We’re immortal.’

That was certainly true of Thialfi and Roskva. Once human they were now caught perpetually on the cusp of adulthood. It wasn’t just looks, they still seemed young in spirit, even now. Loki had been like that, too.

‘I just knew too many of them,’ said Thor. ‘There’s Seigfried over there, and...’

Baldur. The picture looked nothing like him, but it was easy to tell who it was. He was golden haired and beautiful, seated beside Hel herself. Thor dragged his gaze away when the waiter came to take their orders, but he kept returning to it even so. Baldur had been his little brother and he had loved him, as all the Aesir had. Baldur’s death had been a disaster. They had lost Baldur to it but also Loki, lost by his own actions. He would have loved this place. Nifleheim the karaoke bar! He would have had something to say about that. He probably would have sung karaoke, too.

‘Do you miss him?’ asked Sif.

Thor paused. ‘Yeah. For all the good that does.’

‘We all do,’ said Thialfi. ‘He was a great guy. So kind...’

‘Kind?’ said Thor, startled. ‘Oh, Baldur. Yeah, he was.’

‘So who were you talking about?’ asked Thialfi.

‘No one.’ Thor took a large mouthful of his meal and chewed viciously.

‘Loki,’ said Sif.

‘Oh, him,’ said Thialfi, looking uncomfortable.

‘He did deserve it,’ said Roskva. ‘Baldur didn’t.’

‘Yeah, but Baldur’s fine, isn’t he,’ said Thialfi, waving to the mural. ‘Drinking Hel’s best wine right now. _He’s_ not.’

No, he wasn’t. Pinned down at last and left to suffer. Thor didn’t like to think of that. He had threatened Loki many times himself, but also shielded him from others or picked up the pieces after yet another disaster. Loki had needed watching. No one should combine that much cunning with that little common sense.

‘That was Odin’s decision,’ said Roskva. She sounded uncomfortable too now.

‘He might not have meant it,’ said Thialfi. ‘Remember when he nearly got Thor killed? I swear he thought Thor was invincible.’

‘He meant it,’ said Sif. ‘At least when he did it. He hated Baldur.’

‘Why was he jealous anyway?’ said Roskva. ‘I know Baldur was getting attention, but what kind of attention is getting things thrown at you? The Aesir were using him as a dartboard!’

‘Because we went to such lengths to protect Baldur when he knew we wouldn’t have done the same for him,’ said Sif.

No, they wouldn’t. Bad dreams from Baldur had been enough to send everyone into a frenzy to protect him. But Loki had seldom been protected by anyone, except sometimes Thor himself. He certainly wasn’t protected now.

‘That does it,’ Thor said, standing up. ‘Damn Odin. We’re going to get him.’

Sif smiled up at him, hair forming a haze of gold around her face. She was still a mystery to him after centuries of marriage. ‘Good idea,’ she said. ‘But let’s finish dinner first.’


End file.
